International Journal of Chemical SciencesISSN: 0972-768X

Plant based medicine has served mankind for centuries and an impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from natural sources. The last 20-25 years have witnessed renewed in folkloric remedies to fight microbial diseases owing to the emergence of multidrug resistant microorganism. Sapium sebiferum L. (family: Euphorbiaceae) was evaluated for its anti-oxidant activity and antimicrobial activities. Phytochemical analysis of the extract indicated the presence of sugars, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, flavonoids and glycosides. Petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone and methanol extract of S. sebiferum were screened for antibacterial activity by well diffusion method at sample concentration of 40 μg/mL. The result of antibacterial activity revealed that methanolic extract of the plant exhibited maximum activity as compared to petroleum ether, chloroform, and acetone extract. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the methanolic extract of the plant was also calculated against the pathogens Staphylococcus aureus was the most susceptible bacteria. In the qualitative anti-oxidant assay using DPPH (1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl) the extract showed free radical scavenging properties. These primary findings suggest that the extract might possess some chemical constituents that are responsible for antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.